23-05-2025
Alaska drilling, mining could see a megabill comeback
House Republicans sacked two prominent Alaska drilling and mining provisions from their tax, energy and national security megabill just hours before it cleared the chamber, but a top GOP lawmakers has hopes the Senate will add them back in.
The two provisions cut from H.R. 1, the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' would have facilitated approval of the Ambler mining access road and ramped up drilling in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve. They are long-sought priorities for Republicans, and their fate on the cutting room floor came as a surprise.
House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), however, said the provisions were removed over procedural concerns relating to the budget reconciliation process.
Advertisement
'These provisions were addressed in the manager's amendment out of an abundance of caution as part of the nuanced reconciliation process,' Westerman said in an email.
